ADN

who gonna take that game?

Hard to go against SC. But I'd still like to see VY put up 200/200y passing and rushing. I imagine Mack Brown is looking pretty carefully at the Notre Dame and Fresno state games.

From my BCS Bowls write up:

I'd be dumb to vote against USC again...I love Texas man, truly...And I won't feel bad at all if they win...But Vince is going to have the best game of his life to win this...QB is the only position that Texas has that will rate higher than USC...USC has TWO backs that can and will get 100 yards...I don't think it will be a blowout, but USC wins...

Key Stat: USC has almost 2 recievers with 1,000 yards recieving...Texas' top 2 recievers have 1200 combined...USC has two rushers w/1,000 yards on the season...Vince Young leads Texas with just under 1,000...

VY would have to play a game for the ages, along with the Texas D.

USC has won too many games in a row to let it all come to an end to a one man army. I don't see USC losing until sometime next fall.

I think(or hope) USC's soft schedule finally bites them. Please tell me who they have beaten this year. (ND-- overated, don't get me started on them) and UCLA.
Don't get me wrong, they have been impressive, but if Texas can play some D, I think USC can be stopped.

Texas takes this game...

USC takes this game. It's going to be an awesome game to watch. I can't wait for it...

It's easy to lose sight of this one by focusing on all of the offensive talent.... but it's not the whole story.

I'll take Texas by a touchdown in a high scoring game (both teams over 30).

To back me up, here is a similar opinion:


The List

By George L. Jones
Tuesday, January 3, 2006 10:27 PM CST



Top reasons Texas will give football an upset for the ages

Yeah, that's right. I said it, and I'm not taking it back, either.

Look past the 34-game winning streak and the two Heisman winners in USC's offensive backfield.

When that "No. 1" finger is raised at the end of tonight's Rose Bowl, it will be pointing toward the Lone Star State.

Don't say no one warned you.

5. Defense - If I'm a defensive coordinator, I want to build a unit full of mean players - guys that'll talk about your momma while she's standing next to you.



USC, as talented as they are, do not have that. In their three most competitive games this season (Arizona State, Notre Dame, Fresno State) the Trojans allowed 5-of-6 successful fourth-down conversions.

The Longhorns don't have a great fourth-down defense themselves (both teams rank 57th in the category), but they have the fourth-best third-down defense in the country (28.5 percent).

USC does lead the nation in turnover margin, but the Trojans' linebackers are young and without much depth. They also allow one more touchdown per game than the Longhorns.

Advantage: Texas.



4. Offense - USC has infinite weapons and leads the nation in total offense. End of story, right? Wrong.

Texas is actually the nation's top scoring team (50.9 ppg to USC's 50), and Vince Young leads an offense that has a pass efficiency rating nearly 10 points higher than USC's. He's also the team's leading rusher with 850 yards.

The Trojans can bring thunder and lightning in LenDale White and Reggie Bush and pile up rushing yards on Texas, and Matt Leinart is arguably the best quarterback in the history of the game.

But the Longhorns' defense has, by far, played more snaps (815) than any other top 10 defense, meaning they can hang in there on a long, grinding USC possession.

Advantage: Texas.

3. Special teams - The Sun Devils, Irish and Bulldogs have one other thing in common - they all had players in the top 20 in punt return average.

America will say hello to Aaron Ross tonight. The defensive back/returner ranks just outside the top 10 with 15.03 yards per punt return. As a team, Texas is fifth in the nation in punt return average (15.9) and third in kickoff return average (26.9).

The Trojans are an abysmal 117th in punt return defense. They also tend to get careless right after they score, allowing 30 yards per kick return (67th in the nation).

In a game where field position will mean everything, Ross may creep up on an MVP. Bet on the Longhorns taking one to the house before the night's over.

Advantage: Texas.

2. Intangibles - Question: What do the defensive coordinator of the 2005 Longhorns and the defensive coordinator of the 2004 Auburn Tigers have in common?

Answer: They're the same person. Gene Chizik didn't get his shot at the Trojans when he was on The Plains last year, but he's got it now. And he's going to take aim with a defense that, while probably not better than last year's Tigers, is more talented.

Young still thinks he should have won the Heisman. He's wrong, but he has a good argument, and he wants the world to know it.

USC, however, has been there and done that. It has won games in every possible way during its current winning streak, and there's also the home-field advantage factor. Don't overlook how important that is.

Advantage: USC.

1. Prediction - Texas 45, USC 31.

Breaking things down, Texas really looks like the stronger team.

The numbers don't always tell the whole truth, but they don't ever lie.

yep....go texas.